Claiming Victory CV2 Outtakes & Random POVs
by mpg
Summary: Similar to Chasing Victory, I have a series of POV scenes I am doing as a thank-you to reviewers. I'll post these here after an appropriate time for everyone else to read & enjoy. DOES NOT STAND ALONE
1. Chapter 1

**Claiming Victory Chapter 1 - BPOV Scene**

-BPOV-

I felt a chill all the way into my bones, despite the hot sun in the sky. It was November, it was over 35 degrees, and yet I didn't feel any warmth from above. The only source of comfort I had was Edward's hand in mine.

I stared at the little stone cherub that marked Emmy's grave. I remembered having to pick it out; the rows of choices, multiple macabre markers... all of them utterly useless; all of them meaningless to me in the midst of my grief. Except the little angel. When I saw it, I knew it was the one. I refused to look at another headstone after I found him.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you," Edward whispered.

I wasn't sure whether the words were meant for our son or me, so I just nodded to acknowledge that I had heard them. I didn't think Edward was crazy if he was talking to Emmy - after all, I had been uttering silent pleas, wishes and apologies for the past hour. I didn't want my baby to think we were leaving him. I wanted to make sure that he knew we would hold him in our hearts forever.

I rested my hands in my pocket before closing it around the three objects that I had brought for the specific purpose of leaving with Emmanuel. I wanted reassurance that whatever else happened, a part of us would be with him in Brisbane.

I took a deep breath, drawing what comfort I could from the dry air and knelt at the graveside.

"This is from Mummy," I said quietly. I placed a ring onto the ground. It was junk - meaningless to almost anyone that walked by - but it was the first present Edward had ever brought me. The night after our first kiss in the meadow, he had gone to the shop for his Mum and had seen the 20c machines out the front. He decided he wanted to get me a purple ring, because he knew it was my favourite colour. In the end, he'd spent five dollars and pulled countless hi-bounce balls from the machine before he finally managed to get what he'd wanted. He got down on one knee the next morning and presented it to me. I had laughed at him, not knowing the effort he'd gone to in order to get it - nor the trouble he got in when he arrived home without the milk his Mum had given him money for. Despite the fact that it was near valueless monetarily, it was priceless to me. I had kept it near me at all times, even after Edward had left and it was too painful to look at because of the memories.

Wrapped around the ring was one of Phoebe's hospital bracelets. During her early months, we had amassed a few of them. But the one that was lying tangled with the piece of me was the one she wore into her first life-saving surgery. The surgery that had only been possible because of his sacrifice.

The final item I pulled from my pocket was the heaviest. The part of Edward. I wondered if he would resent my choice of objects to represent him because racing was the reason he hadn't been there for our son. But regardless of that fact, I knew how much he loved it - how much it meant to him. I also knew, even though he'd never said it, that if Emmanuel were still with us, Edward would have shown him all about engines. He would have taught him to respect cars. It would have become a shared passion.

I rested the little matchbox replica of Edward's V8 in front of the other items, and gave a silent plea that our little family would be spared any additional heartache.

We'd born so much already.


	2. Chapter 2

**Claiming Victory Chapter 2 - BPOV Scene**

Links to the interview are on my Profile - FFn keeps eating the links when I try to send them. So you get a bonus scene as well :)

-BPOV-

Thank goodness for Edward.

Those were words I never thought I would utter, but as I sat watching Phoebe play with Alice and the photographer took yet another snap, they ran around my head on repeat. The interviewer had been relatively easy on us, and it had actually turned out to be quite fun. But the photo session? Ugh. If I never had to sit through another one, I would be glad. I couldn't understand how Edward enjoyed them... although judging by the way he would roll his eyes from time to time, maybe he hated them just as much.

The only thing that made the photo shoot bearable was the fact that Edward never took his hands off me. They were constantly wrapped around my waist, as if he was using me as an anchor to the world. He would press tender kisses along my neck and softly whisper, 'I love you' against my ear just as the photographer snapped the photo. I wondered whether he sensed, and was trying to help with, my nerves, or whether he just couldn't stop himself. Either way I wasn't complaining.

After everything we had been through, the interview had been cathartic. Almost like therapy... almost but not quite. Nothing could quite match up to the uniqueness that was Dr Laurent. I'd met with him a couple of times since arriving in Sydney, and it never went quite as I expected. He was a little unorthodox, especially compared to the counsellors I had seen after the twin's birth. But he worked for Edward. It was easy to see how much lighter Edward was after each session. It was easy to see the growth Edward had made in a few short months; although I gave credit to Dr Laurent for the changes whereas he said it was all me. Either way I didn't care, after all, it helped build Edward back into the man he could always have been, and gave Phoebe a father she could be proud of.


	3. Chapter 3

**Claiming Victory Chapter 3 - BPOV Scene**

"A fucking Mini!" Edward fumed as we drove home.

"Language," I reminded him. "Little ears are always listening."

"What are little ears, Mummy?" Phoebe asked. He glanced back at her before looking at me apologetically.

"Your ears are little, baby," I said.

She nodded.

"Now, what were you saying?" I asked Edward.

"Carlisle's running a new car this year, in a new series."

I nodded. Not quite sure where his rambling was leading.

"He wants me to drive it," he finished.

I smiled. "You're kidding? That's great."

"No, you don't get it, Bella." He buried his head in his hands. "It's a Mini. He's getting me to drive a fu- a Mini."

I furrowed my brow. I understood that it was a different car to what he was to, but I figured he would be excited about being back behind the wheel. "Isn't it a good thing?"

"No, I mean, yes I guess it is, but God, it's a Mini!" he exclaimed. "What're people going to think?"

I stopped the laughter before it escaped. "You're not worried it will somehow make you less manly are you?" I teased.

"Be serious," Edward said. The way he was acting you would think it was the biggest tragedy in the world.

I didn't think it was the right time to tell him I'd collected Phoebe early, despite my promise. I had intended to leave her at the centre for the whole day but when I'd arrived home to an empty house, I had quickly become bereft. I spent an hour cleaning, fifteen minutes flicking through random TV channels. I even called Mum to try to stave off my boredom and anxiety. In the end though, I just didn't see the point in having Phoebe away from me when I was sitting at home idle anyway.

It was a little after lunch when I'd picked her up. We'd found a little playground nearby and played for a while until Edward called and asked me to bring the 4WD to pick him up. I took the Monaro home and changed the seat over to the old Patrol behind his shed. I was terrified as I started the beast up; the roar of the engine was louder than the V8 in the Monaro and the whole car shook slightly as it warmed up.

I drove carefully and slowly all the way to Cullen Racing.

Edward pulled me from my guilty thoughts with more muttering about the Mini.

"How was your day otherwise?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Okay, I guess. I've had worse days."

The tremor in his voice told me he meant his time in Brisbane. I rested my hand on his knee for a second while stopped at the traffic lights. "We never have to go back to that."

He nodded before rubbing his palm lightly against my jeans.

It was only when I pulled up at home and climbed out that I saw the grease stain that he'd left in the wake of his fingers. I clenched my teeth, refusing to add to his problems at that time. Then I decided I would just have to help make sure he was clean before bed. It would be our second shower for the day, but I could live with that.


	4. Chapter 4

**Claiming Victory Chapter 4 - BPOV Scene**

-BPOV-

Phoebe sat on my lap-wailing. I knew she was tired, beyond tired even, at least a little from the excitement and a little from the swimming but mostly from the sugar high she was sure to be crashing down from. I struggled to get her to calm down and wondered where Edward was. Considering I was only at the party was because of him, the least he could do was help.

"You can put her in one of the spare rooms in the house if you like?" Esme asked quietly.

I shook my head and briefly argued with Esme, but she was insistent. She led me into the house and showed me to a guest bedroom.

I sat with Phoebe, singing quietly to her and patting her back softly to lull her to sleep and found it easier than it had been outside. In the room, the noises of the party were little more than vague background sounds.

A half hour later, she was finally asleep. Once she was, I became aware of another sound in the room-a soft breathing coming from the doorway. I figured Edward had realised we were gone and had come to check in on us. I turned, but it wasn't Edward. I vaguely recognised him, but couldn't remember a name to go with the face.

"Oh sorry," he whispered when he noticed he'd caught my attention. "I have just never seen a more lovely sight."

I nodded to acknowledge I'd heard him, but turned away. Something about him raised the hairs on the back of my neck. I put the feeling down to jitters about leaving Phoebe in an unknown bedroom at a party where I barely knew anyone-including the hosts.

"She's beautiful," he murmured. "She looks just like her Mummy."

I turned to him to tell him to rack off, that I was with someone else at the party and his come-ons weren't going to work, but when I did, I saw his soft smile. I knew that face-Edward got it at night as he watched Phoebe sleep.

"Thanks," I murmured.

"You're Bella, right?" he asked. I relaxed a little more knowing that he knew who I was-and therefore he no doubt knew who I had come with. He confirmed that by adding, "Masen's misses?"

I nodded.

"And that must be his daughter," he said, nodding in Phoebe's direction. "I think she's asleep," he said after a moment. "Why don't you come back out and join the party? It looks like you deserve a break."

I wasn't sure whether I should feel offended because he'd all but told me I looked tired, or relieved that someone was telling me to take a little time for me.

"Sounds good," I said eventually. I kissed Phoebe on the forehead and grabbed the handset from the cradle. I turned it onto the setting that Esme had shown me and followed the blonde-haired man as he led me toward the back door. I wasn't sure whether it was rude to ask his name after so much conversation, I realised the opportune time would have been when he'd asked mine, but I'd missed that window.

I began to head over toward Edward, but stopped when I saw Jasper sitting right beside him. The two of them were laughing and drinking together, as well as entertaining a throng of half-tanked men.

"Ugh," I said, rolling my eyes.

"What is it?" the guy who's name still eluded me asked amused.

"Edward's teammate, Jasper," I said, my voice full of disgust. "I just... I can't stand him. He's an ass." I clamped my hand over my mouth as soon as the words left it. "Sorry," I said. "That was out of line."

He smirked. "Don't worry," he whispered conspiratorially to me. "I think he's a bit of an ass too."

I smiled.

"Do you fancy a swim?" he asked, tipping his head in the direction of the pool.

The water looked inviting, but I wasn't sure how Edward would feel about me going swimming alone with a man I barely knew-even if it was a teammate. I glanced in Edward's direction.

Jasper was standing in front of them, demonstrating some vulgar point by pretending to hold onto someone's ass and thrusting his hips back and forth. "So Squirt's got this girl..." he laughed loudly. I saw Edward shaking his head and laughing along with him.

I'd heard enough. If Edward would rather sit around with an ass reminiscing about random hook-ups, I would be damned if I wasn't going to have some fun too. "Sure." I smiled.

"Great," he said enthusiastically.

If only Edward had introduced me to whoever I was talking to sooner. If Alice was dating him instead of Jasper-the-jerk, we might have been able to spend more time doing couple things. I couldn't understand why Edward had hidden the nicest person on his team-save Esme and Carlisle-from me.

I placed the phone on a little table beside the banana lounges before untying my sarong. I felt a little self-conscious as I undid the knot; I always did when I was in bathers though, they were always just a little too short on material. To my surprise the blonde man turned away from me as I undressed and waited until I was in the water before approaching me again.

"So," he said. "Tell me a little bit more about yourself."

I told him a little about Browns Plains and gave him the cliff-notes version of my early relationship with Edward. I didn't go into our separation or the events around our reunion.

"How did he ever get lucky enough to have a catch like you fall for him?" he asked.

I laughed. "I think you have that the wrong way round."

He shook his head. "You are beautiful, witty and charming. Any bloke would be lucky to have you. I hope he treats you well."

I nodded. "He does."

I climbed out of the pool and wrapped the sarong around myself. The night air was not so cold that it was uncomfortable to air-dry. The blonde-haired man pulled himself languidly from the pool and took a banana lounge to my side. He must have seen me watching for Edward, because he leaned over and murmured, "At least you know where the skeletons are."

I looked at him vaguely for a second.

"If he hurts you - you know where the skeletons are."

I turned to him and laughed, ready to defend Edward.

"What the hell's going on?" Edward's shouted at us.

"Edward?" I asked, confused.

"Who else would it be, Bella?"

"I'll leave you two lovebirds alone, shall I?" Edward's teammate said. He lightly touched my shoulder, and whispered, "I'll talk to you later."

I smiled, glad I'd met someone who was actually nice, honest and seemingly genuine.

Edward growled at the back of his retreating form and it dawned on me exactly who it was that I had been talking with. James. Edward's 'rival'. _Great!_


	5. A tale of three Christmases

**A tale of three Christmases**

_**This is just a little collection of outtakes I've written to say thank-you & Merry Christmas to my loyal readers. The first two are from RCE & Mumella's past, but the third is a little bit of a future shot which is just a teeny weenie bit spoilerish for CV2 so don't read on if you are anti-all spoilers.**_

_**It hasn't been betad (I didn't have time if I wanted to post it for xmas) but I hope you enjoy regardless!**_

_A/N: I own nothing - not even a snappy disclaimer. Characters are all Stephenie Meyers' creations really. I just enjoy torturing them—or in this case schmexing them up—occasionally. Thanks must go to my lovely betas (FE71SH & CorrinaTFF) & my ever-supportive (especially in a crisis) fic-wifeys (Gabbysway2 & CorrinaTFF). _

~ 0 ~

_~ 1__st__ December 1996 ~_

"What are you going to get Bella for Christmas?" Mum asked as I followed her through the shops.

I thought long and hard about it. "A diamond ring!" I exclaimed as we passed a jewellery store displays rows and rows of sparkling rings.

Mum chuckled.

"What?" I asked, wondering why she found my gift idea so funny.

"I think that's a little bit out of your price range."

I shook my head. "I've got ten dollars in my piggy-bank."

Mum laughed loudly and then bit her lip. "It costs a little bit more than that for a diamond ring."

"How much more?"

"Lot's more."

"Lot's and lot's?" I asked, worried I already knew the answer.

Mum looked sad as she answered. "I'm afraid so, dear."

I pouted. It had seemed like the perfect present.

"Why did you want to give her a diamond ring anyway?" Mum asked.

I thought about it for a minute. "Because boys give diamond rings to girls they want to keep around forever."

I thought I saw Mum smile briefly before turning to look in another shop.

~ 0 ~

_~ 24__th__ December 2001 ~_

I stressed over what to buy Bella for Christmas for far too long and I was down to my last shopping day to buy her something. It was our first Christmas as a couple, so the usual presents just wouldn't suffice. I read through the girlie magazines—hiding in the back corner of the newsagency of course because there was no way was I going to be seen buying them—and they seemed to be full to the brim of ideas at first glance. But after a little more in depth thinking, I realised none of the ideas would work for us.

Perfume? I liked the way Bella smelt. I especially liked the scent of her shampoo.

Jewellery? I had no idea what style she liked, and I only had limited funds which would only extend far enough to buy crap.

Gift Card? Too impersonal.

Lingerie? Too personal—plus I got a boner every time I even walked past that shop.

Other clothing? I'd be guessing on shape, colour, style, and size. Too hard.

I searched high and low before deciding on the perfect gift for her. I arranged everything I needed and then waited until our date.

Christmas came and went and I gave Bella a home-made CD of all her favourite songs, and a ew with special meaning to us. She was actually pretty cool about the whole home-made gift thing, but I wondered if she could tell I had something up my sleeve.

On the morning of the 28th December, I had Emmett drag Bella to the Grand Plaza and drop her at the food court. I met her there, presenting her with a chocolate heart and two tickets to see the latest romcom staring that cute blonde from that movie with the kid and Tom Hanks and that dude who played Wolverine in X-Men.

We held hands through-out the movie. I wasn't sure whether she was enjoying it, but she didn't seem to mind me distracting her when I brought my lips to hers.

My gift to Bella represented the three things I wanted to shower her with; my heart, my time and my love.

~ 0 ~

_~ 24__th__ December 2010 ~_

I had to admit I was very excited about my second Christmas together with my little family. So much had changed in the year that we had been together; some good, some bad, but very little that I would change. This Christmas we were staying put in our house and Bella's family were coming to visit us, but they weren't arriving until Boxing Day, which left us free to spend Christmas Eve and the following morning however we wanted to.

Phoebe was already safely tucked up in bed. She'd had a long day and was looking forward to a visit from Santa—which was the reason I was sneaking around her room late at night putting the finishing touches on her stocking. I also had to bide my time. I was waiting for eleven o'clock to rock around; I had been given explicit instructions not to be in our bedroom until then. Apparently Bella still needed to wrap my present. I finished doing the Daddy/Santa thing and checked the time again. I had another fifteen minutes to kill.

I turned off the Christmas tree lights, checked the locks, ate the cookies and drank the milk left in the fridge for the man in red. At exactly eleven o'clock, I knocked on the bedroom door.

"Can I come in?" I asked quietly.

There was no answer from within. I pushed the door open. I quickly realised the room was darkened except for the slight flicker of candlelight.

"Bella?" I asked as the scene was displayed to me. The bed was immaculately made with red and white sheets. A pair of red boxer shorts with white fur trimming around the waist and legs hung over the foot of the bed, with a Santa hat resting on top. As I got closer, I saw a note that said 'Shower, shave and put these on'. I heard quiet notes of a song over the stereo speakers. As I gathered up the shorts, I tried to work out what song it was, but it was so low I couldn't really hear it.

I tried the door to the en-suite, but it was locked and I could hear small sounds—banging and shifting—from within. I could have broken into the room easily if I wanted to, but Bella never usually locked the door when she showered, so I knew she wanted her privacy for some reason. I left the bedroom and showered in the main bathroom. I wanted to follow the instructions on the note, knowing Bella well enough to know that if I did as requested… good things were bound to happen.

I dried quickly and slipped on the boxer shorts, the white fur tickling the sensitive skin of my stomach and upper thighs. I knew there was nothing I could do about tent forming inside the shorts, but I figured Bella wouldn't mind. In fact…I was sure she was counting on it. Lastly, I slipped the Santa hat over my still damp hair.

I headed back to the bedroom with a lump in my throat to match the one in my pants. _What did she have planned?_

A new note was on the end of the bed. 'Lie Down.'

I did as she requested, moving onto the middle of the bed and resting back on my elbows so that I had a better view of the en-suite door. I realised the music had changed, but it was still too quiet to hear.

Bella came out of the bathroom, dressed in a long bathrobe. I strained to see her in the low light while I waited for my eyes to adjust. She didn't even look over at the bed as she headed to the stereo, but I knew she knew I was there. My breathing was so loud and rough with desire, that the neighbours could probably have pinpointed my location in the house.

Suddenly the music flared and a jazz-style rhythm poured out of the speakers. Bella pulled on a Santa hat and dropped her bathrobe. I had no trouble noticing what she had on underneath. She wore a set of panties that matched my boxers, except without the trim around the legs. Over that was a sheer red night-gown with matching white trim. It fastened at her cleavage and hung open around her stomach, the ends just teasing the top of her hips. Her legs were wrapped in white stockings and she had red high-heels on her feet.

I swallowed loudly as I drank in the sight of her. What was a tent before morphed into a multi-story apartment as my cock strained to get closer to her.

"Oh, Santa," she murmured as her eyes roamed hungrily over my body. "I didn't realise you'd be home from your rounds so early." She pouted. "I haven't even finished getting dressed."

In the moment before it took me to compose myself enough to speak I heard the lyrics to the song playing on the stereo.

_Think of all the fun I've missed, think of all the fellows I haven't kissed._

_Next year I could be just as good, if you check off my Christmas List._

_Santa, baby, I wanna yacht, and really that's not a lot._

_I've been an angel all year. Santa, baby, so hurry down my chimney tonight._

I almost chuckled at the thought of being seduced with the accompaniment of a Christmas carol, but the absolutely earnest look on Bella's face stopped me.

"I… umm… I don't mind," I murmured to her as I stretched one arm out for her in invitation.

"But I've been trying so _hard_ to be on the good list." The way she said the word hard sent a message straight back down to my groin.

"Hmmm, you have been rather _naughty_ this year, haven't you?"

She nodded and took one step closer to me. "You wouldn't believe some of the things I've done this year."

"Santa sees everything," I told her.

She giggled. "Oh, I hope not, otherwise he'd be a dirty perve." Her fingers traced the line of the fur the rested along her breasts. I wanted it to be my fingers touching her there.

I quirked my eyebrow at her. "Well, just for the sake of not Santa's reputation, why don't you tell me what you've done that is so naughty?"

She took a step closer. "I've had improper thoughts about someone."

I couldn't stop my grin. "That's not that bad. You can't control your thoughts, only your actions."

She took another step closer, until her thighs were resting against the bed. "I've touched myself…" she whispered. "Down there." Her fingertips trailed along her stomach and rested briefly on her red panties.

I gulped. She knew precisely what she was doing to me. I was surprised I had the willpower to stay on the bed rather than throwing myself at her and claiming her roughly.

She stepped onto the bed, crawling across it until she was straddling my stomach. She put her lips alongside my ear. "I've even seduced a married man."

I was beyond words—I think I may have groaned out something incoherently.

Her nose skimmed along my chin and her lips pressed softly to the column of my throat. Her heat permeated through her panties onto my stomach. I longed for her to sit just a little further south.

She sucked and licked on my throat for another couple of seconds, while my hands reached up under her sheer outfit and ran along the smooth skin of her back. Before long, her mouth was back near my ear. Her voice was breathy as she whispered. "I'd do anything to get back on the good list."

I groaned loudly at her words. "Anything?" I repeated with as much volume as I could muster.

"_Anything_," she declared lustfully.

"Fuck me!" I growled in exclamation. Even after over twelve months together, she could still reduce me to a puddle of need and desires.

She grinned slyly. "Oh, I plan to… just not _quite_ yet."

She kissed her way down my chest, sliding her body along mine until her knees rested somewhere in the vicinity of my shins. I watched her the whole way, knowing these would be images I would recall frequently on lonely nights to come. She teased the fur trim around my waist slowly, dipping her fingers underneath and stroking my skin. I threw my head back and dropped onto my back.

After torturing me for a few moments more, she curled her fingers around waistband of the boxers and pulled them off slowly. The fur trimming tickled slightly as it brushed along my hardened member. Seconds later the soft texture was gone, replaced by warmth and wetness. I struggled back up to rest on one elbow, and was blessed with the sight that matched the sensation of Bella's perfect lips wrapped around my cock. I groaned with absolute pleasure as she sucked my full length into her mouth. I rested my other hand in her hair, allowing my fingers to caress her gently while she drew me in deeply before drawing her head back again. Her tongue caressed my length inside her mouth, swirling across the top whenever she pulled back.

"Fuck, you are beautiful," I whispered with reverence. I was still amazed that she was mine; wholly and solely mine.

She laughed softly around my length, the vibrations of her throat creating tremors in my body. I knew I wouldn't last long the way she was going. I stilled her movements with a series of grunts and groans that were meant to resemble, "Stop Bella I'm going to come."

I offered her my hand, and gently coxed her back up my body. I flipped her over and began to trace the lines I'd been fantasising about since seeing the outfit. I trailed my tongue along the curve of her breasts and rubbed my nose softly against the white fur rested against her collarbone. As I explored her body, my hips ground into her. I revelled in the sensation of the soft fur on her panties rubbing against my stomach each time I thrust forward. From the sounds she was making, I was certain she didn't have any complaints about the feeling either.

I gently peeled her underwear off, trailing my fingers across her pussy. I licked along her lips once before pressing her open with my fingers. I slid my fingers into her wetness while my tongue slid along her clit and kissed her stomach. My dick begged for some attention, so I removed my fingers and climbed up her body. I longed for her so badly. I wrapped my fingers in her hair and kissed her throat and chest as I pushed gently inside her. She moaned with desire as I thrust in and out of her, kissing her sweetly. I was going to enjoy my time making love to her.

As I moved within her, I unclasped her sheer nightgown and pressed it open to reveal her perfect breasts. I kissed my way around her chest, moving steadily and lavishing attention on both of her nipples equally. She was writhing and bucking into me, so I took it as my cue to move a little faster, a little harder and a little deeper. I continued to love her body while rocking against the heaven that rested between her legs.

I knew I wasn't going to last much longer, and I didn't want to come so soon, so I flipped again, granting her control. Then I changed my mind. I sat up and grabbed her hips. I pulled her up my body and helped her onto her knees before grabbing her ass cheeks with my hands, dipping my head and sucking on her clit.

"Oh my fucking God!" she exclaimed as her hands found my hair and pressed my face further into her.

With the angle afforded by the new position, I was able to reach different spots with my tongue. I worshipped her with my mouth until she came apart above me. Once her elbows buckled against me and I was supporting the bulk of her weight, I pushed her down my body a little and pressed into her again. I sat upright and wrapped her body around me, rocking her hips with my hands. I knew I was close and this time I had no desire to stop. I clutched Bella's ass tightly and bit into her shoulder lightly as I came with a rush.

After my body had stopped pulsating, I collapsed back down onto the bed, pulling Bella with me. Eventually, my breathing recovered enough to talk. "I've never had so much fun unwrapping a present before."

She giggled and then whispered. "That wasn't your present."

I pushed her off me a little to inspect her expression. "What?"

"You don't get your present until Christmas."

I pouted but then I looked over at the clock. "It's past midnight."

She grinned and sat upright. "You're right. Thank goodness too… cause keeping this secret is killing me."

I furrowed my brow in confusion. She climbed off the bed, refastening the sheer red number as she went. She disappeared into the bathroom for a moment and when she returned she had a small, long box in her hand; about the right size for a watch. It was wrapped in gold paper and had a big purple bow on it.

I unwrapped it carefully, watching Bella's expression carefully. It was excited, but there was a trace of apprehension around the corner of her eyes.

I gently pulled the lid off the box and peered inside. It took me a second to realise exactly what I was seeing nestled amongst the tissue paper. But once it had dawned on me, I couldn't stop the smile from crossing my face. "Really?" I asked.

She nodded.

I glanced down again, as if expecting everything to be different when I did. But the gift was there, unchanged.

"Are you sure it's what you wanted?" she asked.

"I can't think of a time I've ever had a better Christmas present," I said as I pulled her tightly into my chest.


	6. Chapter 5

**Claiming Victory Chapter 5 - BPOV Scene**

-BPOV-

"We've had the main course," Edward said. "Now it's time for desert."

My heart skipped a beat in anticipation. When Edward had wrapped the blindfold over my eyes, I was a little unsure. Not of what he would do to me as such-because I trusted him not to do anything that would hurt me-but because I had never before done anything quite so unusual. Over the months that we had been together, Edward had been slowly trying to introduce me to more 'unique' experiences in-and out of-the bedroom. I didn't like to think about how he gained his knowledge-I knew I really didn't want to know what he did and with whom.

Edward guided me back down to the picnic blanket before wrapping something warm and almost dry around my shoulders.

"Open your mouth," he whispered.

I couldn't show him my confusion and potential concern without the use of my eyes. Instead, I decided to rely on my trust for Edward-and the knowledge that if he did anything I wasn't happy with I could always get Emmett or Dad to help me out. I compliantly opened my mouth, with just a little trepidation.

I felt something touch my lips. It was soft and slightly wet. It smelled like chocolate and what I could taste was sweet. I slid my tongue forward and licked the object. I realised it was a strawberry and wrapped my lips around it, relishing the way the blindfold heightened the experience. The richness of the chocolate-dipping sauce countered the slightly bitter-sweet taste of the strawberries.

"Oops," Edward murmured. "You got a bit of chocolate right here..." he kissed the corner of my mouth. His tongue slid between his lips and pressed softly against me. I could still taste the juices from the fruit as Edward's lips moved onto mine. I groaned as the chocolate he had just cleaned up flavoured our kiss. He pulled away quickly-too quickly for my liking. I whimpered and he laughed. "There's plenty more to _come_." The meaning of his words was not lost on me; especially not when they were whispered against the hair at the base of my spine in the sexiest voice I had ever heard.

He continued to feed me strawberry after strawberry. Each time 'accidentally' spilling some of the chocolate sauce onto my skin. First, it was my lips, then my cheek and then onto my collarbone. Finally, he gave up the pretence of feeding me desert. He pushed whatever was covering me off and just openly ran lines of chocolate over my chest, before sucking and licking them off. His tongue was magical. Without my sight, I was unable to anticipate his movements and therefore was unable to prepare for each glorious assault. The sensation was unlike anything I had ever felt before.

"Oh, Bella," he whispered, his voice filled with wicked promise. "The things I'm going to do to you." He pressed my shoulders to guide me softly to the ground. I whimpered with desire as I felt him moving around me.


	7. Chapter 6

**Claiming Victory Chapter 6 - POV Scene**

-Renee POV-

I knew how desperately Rosalie wanted a child. I had known for a while of her secret jealousy of Bella's luck in that department, falling pregnant so easily. She would come over occasionally and we would talk about Phoebe, and her face would always light up with fond desire. After she and Emmett married, her response to the question 'when are you starting a family', was always, 'as soon as possible', but the longer they tried, the less she pretended to care. 'When it happens', had been her standard response lately.

After Bella and Edward left for their picnic, she became nervous but it was only after we had wrangled Phoebe to bed that we found out the reason. She said she had one last present for us. She handed me a little gift bag which contained a tiny pair of booties. I gasped then shrieked. I was overjoyed.

"How did that happen?" I asked, without thinking the question through.

"Well, you see when a man and woman love each other," Rosalie started saying.

I hushed her, but she was off.

"They get married," she said.

Then Emmett chimed in. "And then they fuck like rabbits."

"Right," Rosalie laughed. "Eventually-after lots and lots of fucking-they might just be lucky enough to find out they are having a baby."

"I don't want to hear that about the father of my grandchild!" I laughed.

"Well, you asked," Rosalie said, almost doubled over in hysterics.

"I didn't mean I needed all the intimate details of my son's sex life. There are some things a mother just doesn't need to know."

Charlie joined in the laughter, slapping Emmett on the back. "At least you know it all works now, hey!"

Emmett chuckled, but looked at his feet. Then everything became a whirlwind. Bella and Edward came back from their evening out, both looking tired and dirty. I couldn't help blurting out the happy news. Bella seemed genuinely pleased for her brother and sister-in-law.

I remembered my suspicions about what Edward had planned and my eyes fell to Bella's left hand, hoping to see a ring and being able to celebrate even more good news, but her hand was empty. I couldn't help feeling disappointed. Those two had been through so much since the previous October. Their lives had been flipped around and I couldn't help wishing they could have a little piece of permanency to hold onto. I was certain that Edward was going to pop the question.

I looked up to Edward's face, and he wore an expression of absolute heartbreak. I realised then that he obviously had asked, and my head-strong daughter had knocked him back for some reason. If I had any doubts over his commitment to her, I lost them in all that instant. If he had taken that sort of hit to his pride, but was still by her side, it showed great inner-strength and resolve. I made a note to pull him aside before they left and have a heart-to-heart with him. He excused himself shortly after and headed for the shower. He didn't resurface after that. The conversation turned back to Rosalie and Emmett and everyone became carried away by their news.

It wasn't until much later, when Rosalie and Emmett had left for the night and everyone else was safely tucked up in bed, that I thought about how much he must have been hurting. I turned to Charlie.

"Do you think..." I stopped. I wasn't sure how to broach the subject with Charlie. He had been like a bear with a sore head every time I brought Edward up, even more so after the little 'conversation' by the side of our house with him and Emmett.

"What, love?" Charlie asked. He gave me a small smile, and his moustache danced slightly in response.

"Do you think Bella turned him down?" I decided it was safer route to take.

"God, I hope so."

"Charlie!" I exclaimed, slapping his chest lightly.

"That boy still has to prove to me that he's worthy of our baby. He hurt her."

I sighed. "Bella's a big girl now, she knows the risks."

He smirked at me. "Precisely why she turned him down, I bet. Smart girl."

I shook my head. "You're hopeless."

He wrapped his arm around me. "And you're a hopeless romantic."

I snuggled into him. We may not have seen eye to eye on everything, but we talked through our problems. If we couldn't reach a compromise, we would agree to disagree.

"It'd be nice for Phoebe to have a proper family," I murmured. "If they get married, we might even have more grandchildren."

"Don't even go there," Charlie said. "The fact that she's living with him is bad enough. I don't want to think about them... doing... that."

I laughed. "Yet, you'll slap Emmett on the back."

"That's different," he argued.

"Why?"

"Because..." He thought about it for a few minutes. "Because they're married."

I shook my head. "So you don't want Bella to do that with Edward unless they are married. But you don't want them to get married either?"

"Glad you see my point." He smirked.

I shook my head. "Hopeless," I muttered.


	8. Chapter 7

**Claiming Victory Chapter 7 - BPOV Scene**

-BPOV-

"Bella?"

I lifted my head from the pile of filing in front of me, trying to figure out who was calling for me. I caught sight of long black hair and near-black eyes. A name sprung into my head, together with cold chills down my spine.

"It is you." I heard the smile in her voice, even if I didn't feel like smiling.

"Leah," I breathed. "What are you doing here?"

She giggled. "Nice to see you again too," she said in that unique accent that only an Aussie who has lived abroad in London possesses.

I plastered my face with a fake smile and tried not to think about the fact that the last time I had seen her, her tongue was down Edward's throat. _Or his tongue was down hers_. "Sorry," I whispered. I cleared my throat to try to get a bit of extra volume. "I was just shocked to see you."

"Yeah, I know. I wasn't going to work when I got back from London, but well...I realised things would be tight so when I left London I asked whether there was any chance of a job here in Sydney. Just something part-time, you know to fund my partying." She grinned at me.

I nodded, trying—and failing—to push the thoughts of her wrapped around Edward at the bar out of my head. I took a deep breath and finished punching the holes in the papers I needed to file. I couldn't wait to be out of the filing room and into the graduate program, it was likely to be much of the same but hopefully I would be learning something at the same time. At least it would take me away from confined spaces where I could be trapped by Edward-groupies.

Even in the short conversation we'd had, I couldn't help but notice Leah's eyes flick regularly from my face down to my hand. I could tell she was dying to ask questions. As rabid for Edward as she'd been in London, I knew she must have seen the magazine article announcing our reunion. Top that off with an engagement ring, and it was too much gossip for her to ignore.

She saw me follow her gaze to my ring and took that as an opportunity to spring.

"I can't believe you never told me about you and Edward Masen!" she practically hollered. "All that time in London when I was practically gushing about him and you never gave me the scoop. You never even let on that you knew him."

I shrugged, turning my back quickly so that she wouldn't see the tears that were brimming in my eyes. How could I explain my reasons for not wanting to talk to her about him? How could I even begin to tell this practical stranger the deepest, darkest secrets of my relationship? Especially when the last time I saw said stranger, she was grinding like a dog missing its master against my now-fiancé's lap.

"There isn't much to tell," I muttered quietly. "We were together, we broke up, and then we got back together."

"But you were both in London at the same time," she exclaimed. "There had to be something going on then?"

I thought about her question. _What had been going on then?_ According to Edward, he'd realised his mistake as soon as we spent the night together. But then he had thrown me out after seeing the photo of Phoebe. "No," I answered honestly. "There was nothing going on between Edward and me when I was at the London office."

"Oh girl, you will have to spill! Tell me _everything._"

I wondered what my bosses would say if I told her to piss off, but I knew that I couldn't. Instead, I did what I had always done when interrogated about Edward, answered only direct questions, and never gave any real information away.

The worst part of the whole day was that no matter what I did, or how hard I tried to push the thoughts out of my mind, Leah's mere presence was a reminder of Edward's past. Of loose women and fast cars. Internally, I trembled at the thought that one day he might decide that was what he really wanted.


	9. Chapter 8

**Claiming Victory Chapter 8 - BPOV Scene**

-BPOV-

When we'd left the session with Dr Laurent, Edward had seemed positive. I understood why, it felt like we'd had a mini-breakthrough, like we were slowly learning to communicate effectively. We both knew that was the one thing that would help us go the distance.

The one thing I realised during the session was that it was easy to forget about the intervening years and pretend that Edward and I had been together all along. But the risk with that was that something would happen, or something would be said, that would be a reminder of the fact we hadn't been. The fact of the matter was, no matter what we did to fix the future, he had been absent for the first three and a bit years of Phoebe's life and that would always be the back of our minds.

I knew it played heavily in Edward's.

By the time we'd eaten dinner and were ready for bed, he had grown sullen and introspective. I asked him a few times what was wrong, but he didn't seem to be able to articulate any specific thing. Instead, he apologised again for what almost happened with Leah in London.

I put the pain of thinking about it aside to listen to Edward's explanation. He told me again how he had felt in London, and that when he'd felt rejected by me, he fell back into his old habits. We talked about it a little more until I fell asleep, content and happy in his arms.

I drifted awake a few times during the night, each time Edward made a comforting noise and held me until I fell back to sleep. By the third time, I realised he must have had fairly sleepless night.

When I woke hours later, Edward was lying on his stomach, his arms splayed to the side. He must have eventually fallen asleep. I began to move out of the bed, but he whimpered as I moved away. I didn't want to leave the bed if it was going to disturb him. Instead, I rolled over and rested my weight over his back. He sighed softly at the skin to skin contact. The move brought me eye to eye with his tattoo. I couldn't help myself, I raised my hands and began tracing the lines of the horses and the dates. It really was beautiful, both the artwork and the symbolism behind it. I touched my lips lightly to the skin between the heads of the horses. I closed my eyes and rested my forehead on his back.

"Don't start something you aren't going to finish," Edward mumbled beneath me.

"I thought you were sleeping," I whispered back to him.

He twisted below me, shifting me so that I was lying on his chest, my hips resting over his. I slid my knees up on either side of his thighs so that I was straddling him. I raised myself up off his chest and gazed into his face. Whatever had been worrying him through the night seemed lifted as his mouth broke into a grin and he held out his arms in invitation.

"Now, about what you started…" he murmured as I closed in to kiss his lips.


End file.
